Alannah Madeline Foundation This Digital Home Report

Changing aspects of technology in family life

Research Report

Supported by

Initiative by

This Digital HomeThis Digital HomeThis Digital Home

3Contents

Contents

Executive summary: When things change 5

Contribution of the study 8

Methodology 11

Participants 15

Key themes 16

Relationships 23

Health and Wellbeing 27

Citizenship 31

Play and Learning 35

Points of interest 37

Recommendations 40

4 This Digital Home Report

5Executive summary: When things change

Executive summary: When things changeThe way we all interact, behave and go about the usual business of life has changed.

In the middle of the current global pandemic, families have found themselves at home together, with limited movement and access to services. Part of their response has been turning to digital technology to try and meet a range of needs: catching up with family and friends, going shopping, visiting the doctor, participating in community events, as well as going to school and work.

This Digital Home shares the details of family life, delving into the homes of Australian families as they open up about the role of technology during this time: what is working, what isn’t and their expectations as we adjust to the new normal.

Through the Alannah & Madeline Foundation’s work with children, their families and support networks, we understand the challenges and importance of ongoing discussions related to digital technology and its impact. With support from Facebook, we obtained even further insight by engaging 21 Australian families in This Digital Home. Their role was to respond to four different areas to help us understand more about the evolution of technology at this time.

When things change we are given an opportunity to learn. That is what This Digital Home offers you.

The intention

This Digital Home provides policymakers, organisations and parents a personal perspective on the issues and experiences of Australian families.

It provides an insight into the day-to-day digital experiences of staying connected in, and across, households. It shares stories, reflections and images from Australian families, giving us a picture of digital technology as it is used in their daily lives, especially during social isolation.

The intention of this work is to use the data gathered through this research to provide recommendations on the future use of technology by Australian families, and how this can be supported.

There is great value in understanding how much time is spent online, the number of devices in households and survey data, but, that is all strengthened by voices, stories, images and the intimacy of families examining and exploring the way technology impacts on their lives together, and apart. This is the insight that This Digital Home gives.


The study was designed to explore the following key questions:

1. How are families using digital technology differently as a result of social isolation?

2. How has digital technology impacted family life in regard to the quantity and quality of use?

3. What are families’ expectations and needs in relation to how digital technology can support familylife?

Those questions would be explored within four domains:

• Relationships

• Health and Wellbeing

• Citizenship

• Play and Learning.

Importantly, This Digital Home wanted to find ways to strengthen social cohesion amid families and the wider community, particularly as we all continue to adjust to the new normal of social distancing.

Key themes

The key themes we identified across the four domains indicate that families are very aware of how they use technology, what works for them, and what doesn’t. Families have expectations of how technology will support them and a key challenge is when the design or role technology plays in the household does not align with those expectations. This relates to balance, behaviours and connection.

There were three driving themes to emerge from the data:

• Connection: families connect through digital technology

• Ubiquity: families use technology in all aspects of daily life

• Awareness: families understand the benefits and impacts of digital technology.

Connection looks like children and parents playing video games together, sharing memes or funny videos while in the same room and video conferencing, but it is also about how that is made engaging for younger children. Connection is parents printing out puzzles and pictures from the internet for children to use; it is families messaging a child on their first sleepover to reduce anxiety. Connection is frequent and shallow through emojis and texts. And, connection can be significant – like seeing a loved one’s face on a video call to check in on their wellbeing.

Ubiquity means everywhere. Digital technology is on many people’s wrists and also monitors their heart rate. Families have multiple devices of different types, and they use these to share their favourite apps, video games and Facebook groups. Ubiquity is families using technology to liaise with teachers, to do a martial arts class, to tune into concerts, to book and attend medical appointments or to order dinner, the groceries or new clothes. Every aspect of families’ lives, especially as a result of the pandemic, involves technology.

Awareness is present in how families know exactly how technology is supporting them, and when it is impacting negatively on them. Parents and children could identify the ways technology contributed positively to their lives, and what aspects of their use or experience with technology they wanted to change. There is potential in working more closely with families to better understand their needs and provide solutions to those areas they seek to improve.

The case studies and images presented in this report highlight these themes further.

7Executive summary: When things change

Recommendations

Overarching

1. Focus on digital solutions for families in support of behaviourial changeResoundingly, the impact of technology on children and families’ lives has been positive. Familiesare also consciously managing the perceived adverse impacts of technology. There is a role forgovernments, businesses, community organisations and communities to engage with families moreand work collaboratively with them to develop solutions.

For policymakers

2. Be aware of the ubiquity of technology in families’ livesAn explicit understanding of the breadth of technology use and the resulting impacts on familieswho do not have adequate access will help inform better policy decisions.

3. Increase use of technology to foster children’s engagement and participationDigital technology affords children greater awareness and capacity to contribute to decision-making.The systems that govern children’s lives would be improved by increasing their role in shaping thosesystems.

4. Incorporate digital technology into considerations around policy decisions that impact familiesRecent periods of isolation have brought into sharp focus the need for ongoing work to ensure thatpolicy decisions consider the breadth of digital technology for families.

For companies

5. Continued emphasis on design for benefitTechnology is not universally beneficial for families. All companies should continue to explore howthey design their products and services to better meet the needs of families.

6. Recognise the rights of children in a digital ageTechnology companies have a responsibility to always consider children’s rights in a digital age andthis extends not only to their safety and protection, but also their agency and participation.

7. Keep exploring how you can meet children’s and families’ needs with specific products andservicesAll digital companies should be considering the types of products and services that will best meetfamilies’ needs and enhance their lives as a whole, not just in terms of the digital world.

For parents and families

8. Share your digital technology stories with each otherFamilies will benefit from being open and supportive of each other regarding technology.

9. Tell policymakers and digital companies what you needYour perspectives and experiences can help improve the way technology fits into family life. Useavenues available to provide feedback.

10. Be aware that you are not aloneThe platforms may be different, the apps not exactly the same, but our interests in having the bestrelationships with our children, as well as our keenness to ensure the best balanced use of thetechnology in our home is common and shared.


Contribution of the studyThis Digital Home now sits as part of a wide range of studies looking at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing conclusions and helping shape decision-making as societies continue to adapt.

This study is focused mostly on the relationship that families have with digital technology and how the pandemic has changed attitudes. It’s also made families reconsider what they need and what works best in relation to their use and experience of digital technology.

This Digital Home sits within an Australian context and is best read alongside recent work such as:

Families in Australia Survey: Life during COVID-19, Australian Institute of Family Studies

Impact of COVID-19 on children and young people, Commission for Children and Young People (VIC)

COVID-19 Pandemic Adjustment Survey, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University.

https://aifs.gov.au/publications/families-australia-survey-life-during-covid-19

https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/news/new-findings-reveal-massive-impact-of-covid-for-children-and-young-people-in-victoria/

https://pandemicstudy.com

9Contribution of the study


11Methodology

Collated from within the safe space of a closed Facebook group, This Digital Home collected visual, audio and linguistic materials that capture family engagement with technology during COVID-19, and highlighted the changing ways families have used and managed their technology in response to the pandemic.

May June July August

Recruitment: 20 May-5 June

Engagement with families: 1-12 June

Phase 1 – Relationships: 15-19 June

Phase 2 – Health and Wellbeing: 20-25 June

Phase 3 – Citizenship: 26-30 June

Phase 4 – Play and Learning: 1-5 July

Content classification: 26 June-24 July

Content analysis: 14 July-15 August

MethodologyMethodologyMethodology


Recruitment

Families were recruited to participate in This Digital Home during May and June 2020.

Families responded to an Expression of Interest (EOI) that was promoted through a Facebook advertising campaign, targeting families with children aged between six and 16 years, as well as emails and direct contact through Alannah & Madeline Foundation networks.

Engagement

• 48 expressions of interest.

• 28 families indicated they would like to takepart.

• 21 families remained engaged for the length ofthe project.

Representation

The EOIs formed the basis for a selection process that ensured, where possible, a degree of geographical, cultural and socio-economic diversity. Participants represented:

• families living in metropolitan, regional and ruralcommunities across Australia

• culturally diverse families, including Indigenous families

• different family and household types(eg. single parent)

• a range of family sizes (from twomembers to more than six members).

13Methodology

Phases

The research was conducted in four phases. Each phase ran for five days and in that time families were asked to respond to a set of questions specific to that domain. The questions acted as prompts to help them think about their experience and their responses. All submissions were catalogued and added to a database for researchers to classify.

The four phases included:

Relationships Health and Wellbeing

Citizenship Play and Learning

This Digital Home Report14

Content submission

Participating families were invited by the lead researcher to join a closed Facebook group, which provided a forum for the lead researcher to:

• initiate each of the four phases of the research project, inviting families to respond to targetedprompts by creating and submitting content

• engage with families to clarify the intended meaning of submitted content

• monitor content submissions and follow up with families that had not submitted content withindefined timeframes.

Content types

Families were asked to respond in their chosen medium for each domain.

The content types included:

Note: See Appendix A for more details about the research methodology.

written text audio recordings – individuals and

‘in-family’ interviews

photos videos

memes GIFs PowerPoint presentations

15Participants

Total #families

21Total #adults

39

Australia represented by

every state and territory except NT

Total #children

44

Family types represented

single-parent households, two-member households to six-member households

ParticipantsParticipantsParticipants


Across more than 450 unique responses from families, a series of consistent themes were identified. They speak to the way in which technology is a regular and everyday part of family life, even in families who would describe themselves as ‘low-tech users’.

Participants’ responses represent the way families are constantly thinking and exploring their use of digital technology as individuals and as a family. The changing nature of technology and its role in our lives, especially during social isolation, demands that families don’t just let technology ‘take over’ – they are constantly trying to find ways to make sure it provides value to their lives. The data shows us a clear picture of families investing time, energy and money into finding and creating ways to make technology work for them.

The three driving themes to emerge from the data were:

• Connection: families connect through digital technology

• Ubiquity: families use technology in all aspects of daily life

• Awareness: families understand the benefits and impacts of digital technology.

Ubiquity

Key themesKey themesKey themes

17Key themes

Awareness

Connection


Connection

Families connect through digital technology

Digital technology can connect us, and can also isolate us. Families were very aware of the way technology brings them together and connects them as a household, and to extended family. However, they were also conscious of the impact too much ‘alone time’ on devices could have, and how individuals use for extended periods is not necessarily preferable for relationships, health or wellbeing.

It was identified that:

• families prefer using technology in ways that connect them to each other, to their community and toservices

• when discussing their desire to ensure their time on technology is meaningful and beneficial, familiesunderstood that spending time simply scrolling through page after page of content was not ideal

• families recognise and value that digital technology connects household members with peers and/or extended family. They also recognise the value of parallel technology use, which is where they usedifferent devices but in shared spaces.

19Key themes

Ubiquity

Families use technology in all aspects of daily life

Digital technology is a daily part of family life. To develop more complex and nuanced solutions for families we need to appreciate the breadth of technology in family homes. In social isolation, families were using technology for everything from martial arts and dance classes, meditation, accessing health information, for recipes, to entertain, to learn formally and informally. This is changing aspects of family life, like how people spend time together and what they prioritise.

It was identified that families use technology to:

• maintain and consolidate their relationships

• learn in formal and informal ways

• support their health and wellbeing

• play and have fun together

• relax and have some downtime.


Awareness

Families understand the benefits and impact of technology

Families are most interested in how technology impacts relationships and child development, rather than the actual amount of time they spend using technology. The term ‘screen time’ was rarely used across the submissions from participants, with a stronger focus on the family dynamic, children’s wellbeing and capacity for impacting mood.

Of course, the way technology is managed in families varies greatly depending on the value a family puts on technology and the life stage that the family is at. It was identified that families:

• are able to describe and articulate the benefitsand tensions of technology

• are able to articulate and demonstrate thatfinding a balance is a constant challenge andnot achievable in a way they would like

• understand the nuances of screen andtechnology use, and can see beyond a good-bad dichotomy.

The nuances of technology use

“When the lockdown started, we went into emergency mode. All former rules were off. I gave myself a permission slip to not heavily judge my own use of technology or police the kids too much. I was so focused on keeping them mentally well and building them up that it became unimportant. It was very poignant to me how technology kept me connected to friends and family during lockdown and kept my kids in touch with their friends and family.

“I won’t forget watching Lucy share her LEGO creations with her best friend on Zoom, or teaching my parents how to use Zoom with us and my siblings and their kids. It was incredibly powerful how honest and kind my friends were with each other when we communicated incessantly on Messenger and What’s App, when people are usually a bit more guarded, because in a sense we were in crisis, especially the people who were trying to work and also home school.

“We even went to a trivia night and a 40th via Zoom with people in London and all over Australia. That felt like a moment in history. I think it feels freeing.”

– Melanie, mum of three, Sydney, New South Wales

21Key themes


23Relationships

The value of the connective capacity of digital technology during social isolation can not be understated. Families identified many and varied ways to maintain social cohesion and connection within their household, with extended families and with their communities, including schools, clubs and even streets.

The greatest tension for families was not ‘screen time’ itself, but the behaviours and impacts on family life when technology experiences were negative. This is linked to excessive amounts of time, but also factors like access, content, capacity and understanding. For example, most families valued children using technology when they were connecting or playing with friends, but not if it was seen as isolating and impacting negatively on family relationships due to changes in their behaviours.

People like us – our bonds

Note: See Appendix B for process and data

Overall, the quantity of relation bonds did not significantly change, but was strongly maintained through the use of digital technology during the pandemic. There was, however, a great reduction (36%) in the quality of those bonds. Two thirds of experiences still identified a maintenance of, or increase in, quality of connection in relationships.

Quantity of bonds Quality of bonds

Increased quantity of bonds

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quantity of bonds

Reduced quantity of bonds

Increased quality of bonds

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quality of bonds

Reduced quality of bonds

2%

94%

4%12%

52%

36%

RelationshipsRelationshipsRelationships


“I help my Nan use technology when she doesn’t know where to go ie. Google Maps and also when she wants to check prices on shopping. I use technology to Google local skateparks to find events and also what the weather will be like. I also like to see what accidents are in my area to make sure it’s not my family members. I feel a part of the bigger world when people from other parts of the world are online gaming, or when my dad is away for work – how important he is.”

A 12-year-old connecting to family

Observations from the data

Technology connects families to each other and to the broader world

• Parents and children use technology to maintain their peer social connections.

• Television was commonly used by families as a mechanism for routine family bonding.

• Video calling and family group chat were widely used to connect family units with their extendedfamily, especially grandparents.

Technology creates points of tension in family life

• Technology was used between parents and children, and between siblings, leading to familiesspending time troubleshooting and finding ways forward.

• Adults shared a sense of guilt in using technology over face-to-face family time, especially in relationto modelling of technology use.

• Broadly, families reported that individual use impacts connection within the family and that technologyuse by the family promotes connection.

Questions to consider

• How do we better support families to set expectations, guidelines or rules around how they usetechnology in their household?

• How do we design digital technology to increase the utility and autonomy of families?

Case study: A COVID-19 wedding

Sarah is a civil celebrant in rural Victoria, and during the first lockdown across the state she married two of her friends in their front yard with only two witnesses. She describes the experience like this:

”We were zoomed to 60 people across the world, as the groom’s mother was terminally ill in the US and it was her wish that she see them married before she died. It was a powerful experience to meet her and the rest of his family on this day, we felt very connected and it was a beautiful day. She died soon after and we were all very grateful that technology had made this event possible.”

25Relationships

Case study: Games strengthening child-parent bonds (and with friends)

“My son and his dad both love gaming. They play rounds of Overwatch together and can talk for hours about the characters and strategies. It has really bonded them. Neither of them are sporty, so having this love of gaming is their father-son time.

“Luc (dad) will also sit and watch him play rounds and cheer him on. Zac (son) loves to play games such as Overwatch, Minecraft, Drift, Rocket League and Farming simulator. These are all multiplayer games and we hooked him up online over ISO so he could play with his mates and cousins.

“This is particularly important for Zac, as he cannot communicate via text or messenger like others his age, so gaming gives him the ability to stay connected with his friends and family. Without this, he gets left out and left behind of his peer group.”

– Christina, mum of two,Melbourne, Victoria


27Health and Wellbeing

This Digital Home identified how technology is everywhere and how it impacts health and wellbeing.

A majority of families were already using technology to support their health and wellbeing, with more turning to it during social isolation. Children and adults listed a large number of fitness, meditation, mindfulness and health information apps, websites and devices they use to support their families’ health and wellbeing. Access to that information was mentioned as a way of empowering families and reducing anxiety when so much of life during this time has remained unknown.

The role of social media apps (such as Strava, Facebook and Instagram) to support health and wellbeing through connection to others was strong. There were many examples of how the social aspect of these tools allowed people to maintain a connection to a community who – through encouragement and the functionality offered by these tools – facilitated goal setting, motivating and enabling the maintenance of social cohesion.

Families, including children, were also easily able to articulate the negative impact of technology on their health and wellbeing. Participants shared examples of physical impacts, from neck and muscle stiffness to lethargy, through to impacts on mental wellbeing such as moods and behaviours from children linked to their excessive or inappropriate use of technology.

Our physical, social and mental wellbeing


Quantity of health and wellbeing activities Quality of health and wellbeing activities

14%

70%

16% 13%

60%

27%

Increased quantity of health and wellbeing activities

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quantity of health and wellbeing activities

Reduced quantity of health and wellbeing activities

Increased quality of health and wellbeing activities

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quality of health and wellbeing activities

Reduced quality of health and wellbeing activities

Health and WellbeingHealth and WellbeingHealth and Wellbeing


Overall, digital technology was far more likely to help families maintain, or increase, their health and wellbeing. The instances where quantity and quality of health and wellbeing activities reduced were primarily linked to excessive use of devices and time spent in front of a screen.


Families are aware of – and try to manage – the potentially harmful impact of technology on their health and wellbeing

• Family members were able to identify that technology use was having an adverse impact on theirphysical health. Too much screen time caused issues such as sore eyes, loss of appetite, stiff neck andpoor posture.

• Extended periods of time using technology impacted both child and adult wellbeing and mood, whichimpacted family relationships.

• Families found there were many reasons that reducing contact with technology was not feasible, oreven desirable. Consequently, they found the process of identifying and implementing other solutions– that did not involve just ceasing to use or engage with the technology that was causing an issue –difficult.

Technology helps families access health information and services (which is important during time of social isolation and restrictions on movement)

• Families regularly used the internet and mobile apps to access personal health support and healthinformation relating to COVID-19.

• Technology was regularly used to find, book and virtually attend health appointments. This is aconvenience that is of value to families.

Technology offers families greater autonomy and control of their health needs

• Wearable technology, combined with health apps such as Strava, were used to track personal physicalexercise. By sharing their data, these apps were used as a tool to maintain motivation.

• Wellbeing and mindful apps were used to regulate mood and emotion, relieve anxiety and as toolsto transition from ‘work mode’ to ‘family mode’. These apps were also widely used to assist in fallingasleep, especially with children.

• Interactive movement-based games such as Pokemon Go and Just Dance were used to exercise as afamily.

• Video conference catch-ups were used extensively to maintain relationships with family and friends,which was critical for maintenance of wellbeing.


• How can technology enable easier use of essential health and convenience services?

• How can we create technologies that are ergonomically and physically supportive?

29Health and Wellbeing

Case study: Social media as a factor in maintaining health and wellbeing

Several parents shared how they use activity tracking apps to manage their physical movement as well as connect with others. Jessica, a mother of four from Far North Queensland, uses a host of technology to maintain her running, which is both a physical and mental health manager.

She uses Garmin and Strava to track running and writes, “I keep in touch with Deadly Runners on the Messenger app, to see who is running where and we motivate each other. I also use Facebook to follow Dynamic Running as they organise a lot of trail races and ultra-training and events. I like to check out local park run pics on Facebook and I get emails from road runners and athletics clubs about upcoming runs … wow that’s probably a bit over the top now that I write it all down... but I think it helps keep me motivated and connected to my mates that run.”

Alessandra, who has one son and also lives in Queensland, was very clear about the role social media played in her own lifestyle. She said, “I joined an F45 through the Facebook group. I met a group of ladies who had similar goals in mind. We all had different times we attended the gym due to our very different lifestyles. Facebook groups made it easy to contact each other and stay in touch. It allowed us to not have to ‘be friends’ and let each other into our personal lives but maintain focus on our shared goals, as our lifestyles were very different. These groups allowed us to go from barely exercising to being confident enough to run 5km races. This had a massive impact on my health and my mindset. If it wasn’t for Facebook groups I don’t think we would have met or come together like this.”


31Citizenship

Technology offers families the opportunity to stay informed and civically engaged in current issues and events. There was an observable role that technology played in helping mobilise community support and help connect communities through activities.

In This Digital Home, children and young people shared a range of examples of how they used technology to engage with initiatives, issues and activities at a local and national level. Some even used technology to promote and amplify their own voice on issues providing a sense of agency and contributing to social discourse.

Benefiting my broader network


Citizenship had the smallest number of responses and contributions, and with that it also had the least amount of reduced quantity or quality of engagement. The research team observed that some families in the study were unclear about civic engagement and talked about it more as connecting with friends and family. Events like ANZAC Day and creative activities to show support from front yards and windows were embraced by many families.

Quantity of civic/community engagement Quality of civic/community engagement

52%

47%

1%

32%

61%

7%

Increased quantity of community contributions and/or connections

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quantity of community contributions and/or connections

Reduced quantity of community contributions and/or connections

Increased quality of community contributions and/or connections

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quality of community contributions and/or connections

Reduced quality of community contributions and/or connections

CitizenshipCitizenshipCitizenship



Technology helps maintain civic engagement

• It was easier for families to extend their technology use to civic engagement when they already hadan established understanding of how technology can be used more broadly, which allowed them toparticipate in community activities or training from video streamed through their phone and cast ontheir television.

• Technology enabled continuity in the observance of traditional activities of civic engagement, such asfamilies who attended church and did so virtually.

• Digital platforms were used to mobilise community support and maintain sense of community

Technology amplifies the views and experiences of children and young people

• The internet was used to amplify the voice of children and young people in advocating on a range ofissues – both local and global.

• Digital technology facilitated the creation of new initiatives for children and young people to connectwith community in local and national pursuits.

“I use technology to educate people on the Black Lives Matter movement and to educate others on Aboriginal history and culture. I use social media to learn about, and spread the messages about, protests.”

– Jayde, 17, Adelaide, South Australia.


• What does civic engagement and participation look like in the ‘new normal’, and how doestechnology play a role in that?

• How can technology be used by governments at all levels to encourage greater civic engagementand further build social cohesion and strengthen families and communities?

33Citizenship

Case study: ANZAC Day during a global pandemic

Many families reported using technology to engage with their neighbours and friends to find a way to participate in the ANZAC Day Dawn Service. For many this was a new and deeper level of contact with neighbours than they had previously experienced.

– Shared by a family of four, from Perth, Western Australia


35Play and Learning

Digital technology has transformed the way we acquire knowledge and enhanced the process of remote learning for children throughout the pandemic. Many parents reflected on the further impact they envisage their children may have experienced if it were not for technology that facilitated remote learning. However, children reflected in several instances that remote learning was difficult and that the amount of screen time and doing work through technology was challenging.

Both children and adults also shared how they used technology to continue learning and practising music and sports, as well as access YouTube and websites to maintain hobbies and develop skills in cooking, crafts and other subjects.

There was evidence of many families changing their living environment to accommodate learning and play. Families rearranged living rooms, children created their own spaces to create privacy, houses adapted to having more people at home more often, with a need for separate entertainment and quiet spaces. Home offices were organised to cater for children and supervise remote learning.

If more time is spent with families at home, the shape and design of the modern home will likely undergo a range of changes. It also speaks to the challenges for families who do not have the space or resources to adjust in these ways.

Playing and learning together

Note: See Appendix B for process & data

Increased quantity of play and/or learning

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quantity of play and/or learning

Reduced quantity of play and/or learning

Increased quality of play and/or learning

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quality of play and/or learning

Reduced quality of play and/or learning

Quantity of play/learning activities Quality of play/learning activities

9%

80%

11% 10%

70%

20%

Play and LearningPlay and LearningPlay and Learning



Families value technology when it contributes to family and community connection

• When technology was used in the home for play and learning by individuals, it was often perceivedas negatively impacting family time, but when used for shared family activities it was seen to enrichfamily time.

• Parents communicated more with teachers via digital technology during remote learning than theyhad done in the past, which they valued.

Technology was valued as a tool for remote learning, and learning more broadly

• The remote learning model was widely valued as an alternative to face-to-face classrooms, but it wasnot a model that supported all children.

• Technology was used to facilitate the pursuit of hobbies and interests outside of school and work.

The family home required physical adaptations and changes to facilitate the broad use of technology for play and learning during lockdown

• Families adapted their spaces to enable supervision of children during remote schooling, remoteworking arrangements and comfortable use of technology for play.

• Families used technology to come together – consuming media, playing games, creating content anddancing together.

Skills, knowledge, attitudes and capacity were key contributors to successful use of technology for play and learning

• Younger children often needed adult one-on-one support to maximise their learning when engaged inonline learning.

• While families and parents often began the remote learning experience with lower levels of digitalliteracy, their competency in navigating the requisite technologies generally improved over time.

• Those who were late/slow adopters of technology were more resistant to using technology for playand learning.

“As culture and performance goes, myself being New Zealand Maori, I was able to find Facebook groups that taught Kapa haka (dance), basic Maori language for my boys to learn and also for my husband. My husband and kids are on a mission to learn every anthem of the world alphabetically so they have used apps to define how they are learning culture.”

– Kyleen, mum of two, Sydney, New South Wales


• How will families reshape their physical spaces and what support will they need with this as weexplore our ‘new normal’?

• What support do families need from the systems that govern their play and learning to benefit fromthe time they invest?

37Points of interest

Points of interestThrough the course of assessing and engaging with the large amount of content and data generated for this project, the research team identified a number of areas of interest and worth highlighting.

Adoption and use of Messenger Kids

While acknowledging that this piece of work was independently conducted and supported by Facebook, the research team identified that Messenger Kids was the most frequently mentioned – and used – communication platform by children. The number of families who mentioned downloading, using and benefiting from Messenger Kids was significant.

Children presented Messenger Kids content via video, audio and in screenshots, discussing how it helps them stay in touch with friends and families. They also specifically discussed the value of having direct contact with grandparents and extended family.

Adults, who downloaded the app, spoke about many parents supporting each other to have children connect through the app. It was regarded as a safe and appropriate tool. Parents shared that they valued their children being able to connect with others in this way during periods of social isolation and also valued it as a tool they used to reduce anxiety and check in with their children if they weren’t with them.

Technology as a transition tool

Participants shared different ways that digital technology would be used as a way of transitioning between activities or situations. Parents often spoke about the process of using music and meditation apps for a child as a way of transitioning to bed; adults discussed playing a certain app or game as a way to wind down; and young teens discussed online gaming in similar ways.

There is scope to further explore the role technology can play as a transitory tool from taking people from one state to another. How might technology be used to support people to calm down from an anxious or agitated state? How could a short podcast or video offer parents the opportunity to shift their mind from work and towards home and children at the end of a work from home day? This seems to be particularly relevant and useful for families in a period of time where commuting and travel, as well as some of the previous ways we transitioned between spaces and time, are not available to us.

Concerns of personal or household data were not present

There was an overall omission of discussion regarding the collection of personal data through technology. The negative reflections of technology outlined how it impacts families in a tangible way (be it physical health, face-to-face relationships, quality of learning), however no participants offered any perspectives on whether they had an understanding of the way the digital technology they use in their homes collects information and helps manage their experience.


Case study: Messenger Kids is connecting kids“At the beginning of the ‘lockdown’ period I installed Messenger Kids on the kids’ iPads thinking it would be a great way for them to communicate with their friends. Initially the use of this app was a big novelty, most evenings the kids used it and I was secretly worried the kids would become too addicted to it. But after about a week, and now five weeks, the novelty has worn off.

“My eight-year-old was having lots of fun, learning about how to text appropriately, what kind of photos to send and to only use it when you had something to talk about. She also has a few friends on it. I think it’s important to note that my six-year-old has very little friends and a lot of the mums of her friends declined the invitation to join up to talk with my daughter.

“Messenger Kids app has allowed my daughter to communicate positively with me while I was working on site during remote learning, sharing images of things happening at home or sharing work she had done. They can contact grandparents and cousins more readily which makes them happy. Notifications for all contact comes to my and my husband’s phone.”

Smart homes and smart lives are evolving

The study revealed that smart devices are becoming more prevalent in the family home, particularly applied for the monitoring of health and wellbeing activities (tracking sleep, recording exercise data, even home assistants).

The attitudes towards these devices were overwhelmingly positive and indicated that they improved the quality of life. As the Internet of Things continues to grow and become more and more accessible and affordable, they will become more common in the family home.

Policymakers especially have to consider and look at how this impacts families. The internet is no longer just present on a screen, it is in our pockets, on our wrist and sitting on the kitchen bench. How do we support families to consider the next series of challenges that comes with this evolution?

Television is still a main player (as it evolves)

The ongoing evolution of television towards streaming services and on-demand viewing has reinvigorated the space and families are benefiting from a surge of investment across all types of programming. More than any other activity, watching television was seen as the least concerning engagement for parents and regarded more as a family activity than any other form of digital interaction.

Parents articulated concerns and challenges around other digital technology, but not as much with television. Television doesn’t cause conflict, or guilt, or stress in the same way that the other digital technologies do which led the research team to consider why. Television appears to be generationally familiar in a way that is non-threatening. It is a technology that has been sitting in our living rooms for decades. Newer forms of technology, however, are less well-known and create more conflict in the home.

39Points of interest


Overarching

1. Focus on digital solutions for families that support behaviour changeResoundingly, the impact of technology on children and family lives has been positive. Familiesare also consciously managing the perceived adverse impacts of technology. There is a role forgovernments, businesses, community organisations and communities to engage with families moreand work collaboratively with them to develop solutions.

This Digital Home identifies that families are predominantly seeking help with behaviour changesthat allow them to benefit from the positives in relation to digital technology and reduce the harmfulimpacts.

Behaviour change solutions are often limited to education programs and resources, but there are awide range of possible solutions linked to policy, design and distribution.

Behaviour change is not just a personal responsibility and families can’t be solely responsible fortackling this. All stakeholders need to look at the systems they govern and the levers they can pull tocontinue to ensure digital technology serves Australian families for the better.

RecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendations

41Recommendations

For policymakers

2. Be aware of the ubiquity of technology in families’ lives Discussions around digital technology and its presence in our lives means we are very aware of it. However, when it comes to shaping and developing policy it should explicitly be considered given the many ways and forms it takes across Australian households.

This is particularly relevant to policy considerations for those with limited access to digital technology. Households with fewer devices or poorer internet connection will have incurred greater disadvantages, especially during the pandemic.

3. Use technology more to foster children’s engagement and participation Children’s voices and perspectives can be captured and shared easier using digital technology. In This Digital Home, stories and examples of children using digital technology to amplify their own perspectives through social media and developing or supporting campaigns on issues they felt strongly about were seen.

They also participated in activities that included contributing to citizen science projects, engaging in community art and community-strengthening projects.

Digital technology affords children greater agency and capacity to contribute to decision making.

4. Incorporate digital technology into considerations around policy decisions that impact families Recent periods of isolation have brought into sharp focus the need for ongoing work to ensure that policy decisions that impact families consider the breadth of digital technology.

It also means that families and children need greater consideration in relation to decisions made about technology. Access to affordable and effective internet, as so many aspects of our lives move online, including access to government and social services – is essential. Digital technology is an essential service for families just like water and electricity and policymakers need to consider it in this way as they continue to make decisions and create programs to improve our society.


For companies

5. Continued emphasis on design for benefitThis Digital Home captures the tension and challenges families have on a regular basis in trying tomake technology work for them and not impact negatively on their lives.

Companies and organisations who design and create digital products and platforms for families,children and young people need to continue to design not just for safety, but for positive benefits.

This research shows that when the technology has a positive impact on a person’s life they are morelikely to continue to use it and invest further in its functions and offerings. If, however, they find theexperience is having negative impacts, they are working to change behaviours and often removingthat technology from their life.

6. Recognise the rights of children in a digital ageChildren’s perspectives were very present in the research done with families. Children are clearlyspending a lot of time with digital technology and will continue to do so. In this sense, technologycompanies have a responsibility to always consider children’s rights in a digital age and this extendsto not only their safety and protection, but also to their agency and participation.

If we are to have shared spaces where children and adults can co-exist on digital platforms thenwe have to consider more what that looks like in the physical world, and whether we are effectivelymirroring that in the online world. There has been some strong work around children’s rights in adigital age and this should be part of any technology company’s core reading if they are to createtechnology that respects and recognises children and young people.

7. Keep exploring how you can meet children and family needs with specific products and servicesThe impact of Messenger Kids, a Facebook product, was very clear in the participants’ responses.

A large number of children and families used the app, they valued it and it facilitated connection inways that families valued. The reason for this is about the design and the use of play and activitiesfor children to undertake while chatting.

The app’s design also helps reduce parent anxiety and concerns. All digital companies should beconsidering the types of products and services that will best meet families’ needs and enhance theirlives as a whole, not purely in terms of the digital world.

43Recommendations

For parents and families

8. Share your digital technology stories with each other Families are all using digital technology and struggling with it at times. You should know that you are not unique in that experience, and by sharing those challenges and also the benefits and things you find worthwhile for your family you may find that you can develop new approaches and better ways of navigating the balance.

We need to build cultures where we are comfortable telling other households what our rules are and how we would like our children to use and be exposed to technology and content. There is a lot of value in families sharing their experiences with each other – at school drop off, or at a rare night out with other parents, you can be the initiator of these important chats.

9. Tell policymakers and digital companies what you need Digital companies and governments are interested in meeting your needs and developing digital technology and tools that help and benefit families. So, make sure you use avenues available to tell them what works and what doesn’t work. Email that company and tell them what functionality would make it easier for your child, or help your families better connect or play or learn. We all have a role in helping create a future where we create technology that works for all of us.

10. Be aware that you are not alone Our experiences are more closely aligned than they are different. This Digital Home has shown that across the 20-odd households who participated, the same types of issues arose. The platforms may be different, the apps not exactly the same, but our interest in having the best relationships with our children, and our keenness to ensure we get the best balanced use out of the technology in our home, is common and shared.

These are things that we all feel, experience and know. Collectively we can help work towards making a digital home of the future that even better meets our family and our children’s needs.


Appendix A

Content classification

Submitted content was stored on a shared content database. For each of the four phases of research, two different content classification researchers independently reviewed content stored on the database, with three researchers (excluding the lead researcher) sharing the responsibility across the four phases, as follows:

Phase Content Classification Researcher 1

Content Classification Researcher 2

1 – Relationships Researcher A Researcher B

2 – Health and Wellbeing Researcher B Researcher C

3 – Citizenship Researcher C Researcher A

4 – Play and Learning Researcher A Researcher B

The two researchers working on content classification for any given phase did not speak with each other about content classification for that phase.

To promote consistency in classifying content, researchers were provided with prescribed definitions of key terms (see Appendix B).

Each content classification researcher was provided with access to the content database and with their own tabs on a rating matrix spreadsheet.

After reviewing content submitted by each family, researchers were asked to provide a narrative summary of how technology influenced the family and/or its individual members, with respect to the topic denoted by the research phase.

Researchers then met to discuss their ratings and observations, and undertake a process of formulating those into a series of themes for each phase and overarching themes.

45Appendix A

Inter-rater reliability

Below is the detail of the level of agreement between the ratings made for each piece of content by the two independent researchers. Overall, the reliability was above 55 per cent in all instances, while in two phases the level of agreement was 75 per cent. As a result, the research team has confidence in the quality and validity of the rating process.

Week Raters No. of ratings assessed across the two raters

Total number of ratings in agreement between two raters

IRR*

Relationships RB, JF 256 192 75%

Health and Wellbeing JF, JS 262 157 60%

Citizenship JS, RB 188 104 55%

Play and Learning RB, JF 268 205 76%

Average IRR across all weeks 68%

*Inter-rater reliability (IRR) is the level of agreement between raters or judges. If everyone agrees, IRR is 1 (or 100%) and if everyone disagrees, IRR is 0 (0%).

Limitations

This ethnographic research offers us a snapshot of the lives of some Australian families.

This Digital Home captures stories and images to complement data and provide insight into the day-to-day experience of digital technology in the life of a family during social isolation.

It is not intended to give a comprehensive overview, but a more qualitative look to support larger datasets and figures that represent the Australian population. As a result, limitations include:

• participant numbers: as a qualitative study participant numbers are low

• lack of baseline data for the quantitative and qualitative data gathered

• an absence of any base socio-economic or similar data on families.


Appendix B

This appendix details the process for data assessment and rating.

This document was provided to the research team to outline the plan and provide instructions for assessing and rating the data that was provided by participants through their responses.

Project name This Digital Home

Research purpose

This Digital Home is a social research project aimed at capturing the changing aspect of technology in family life as impacted by the experience of social isolation. It has a specific focus on understanding the technology practices families have adopted to enable social connection, facilitate improvements in health and wellbeing, promote community involvement and foster play and learning.

Project outputs

Collated from within the safe space of a closed Facebook group, this project will deliver visual, audio and linguistic materials that capture family engagement with technology during COVID-19, and highlight the changing ways families use and manage their technology in response to the pandemic.

Purpose of this document

Qualitative data analysis – classification of content.

Document tabs

Instructions

Relationships rating matrix – RB

Relationships rating matrix – JF

Health and Wellbeing matrix – JF

Health and Wellbeing matrix – CR

Citizenship – CR

Citizenship – RB

Play and Learning matrix – RB

Play and Learning matrix – JF

Summary of insights

Inter-rater reliability

47Appendix B


Instructions Each rater (researcher) will be responsible for independently reviewing assigned content that has been submitted by families at the end of each period of data collection (every five days).

Content that has been submitted will be stored on a shared content database, with each piece of content occupying a unique cell on the spreadsheet (referencing the family of origin and content type). On reviewing each piece of assigned content, each rater will use the relevant tab on this rating matrix spreadsheet to classify the content according to family of origin and theme.

By placing the respective content database file reference in the family row and thematic column(s) that rater deems appropriate (nb: where content is reflective of multiple themes, the cell reference can be placed in more than one column). Where a rater determines that multiple pieces of content from a single family should be classified under the same theme, the rater will need to add row(s) to accommodate multiple entries, such that only one cell reference from the content spreadsheet appears in each cell in this spreadsheet.

Two raters will independently review content from each period of data collection and, on completion of the data classification process, a comparison of rater classifications will be undertaken to determine the Inter-rater reliability (consistency between raters) score (%).

Key definitions for raters

To promote consistency in classifying content, raters will apply prescribed definitions of key terms.

For all four weeks:

The following key terms were used throughout the four weeks:

Increase = become or make greater.

Maintenance = the process of preserving a condition or situation.

Reduce = become or make smaller.

Quantity = the amount or number.

Quality = the characteristics or features of someone or something.

Activity = a thing that a person or group does or has done.

There are additional key terms used within each week.



For week 1: Relationships (15-19 June)

Relationships can be represented as social networks, constructed as a series of entities (nodes) joined by bonds, links and bridges (ties).

Bonds = connections between people based on a sense of common identity (‘people like us’) – such as family, close friends and people who share our culture or ethnicity.

For week 2: Health and Wellbeing (20-25 June)

Health and wellbeing are interconnected constructs, with health influencing wellbeing and wellbeing influencing health. This interconnection is reflected in the definitions of these constructs.

Health = a state of physical, social and mental wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Wellbeing = the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy.

For week 3: Citizenship (26-30 June)

Citizenship/civic engagement/community engagement is about the role you play outside of familial relationships and paid work. It is represented by the amount and way in which you contribute to the broader network around you (see social network diagram for depiction of bonds, bridges and links).

It can be anything from mowing an older neighbour’s lawn to a street party, to volunteering for a charity, or being a member of a political party. It represents doing things for and with other people who are not your family in the interests of civil society.

Civic/community engagement = working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community.

Contribution = things that are done for or offered to others that support and improve their experience.

49Appendix B


For week 4: Play and Learning (1-5 July)

Learning represents the deliberate attempt to enact, develop and improve in a skill or increase an area of knowledge – it can take place in formal or informal settings. Play is a prevalent form of informal learning that, in the broadest sense, is about the way people spend recreational time. Forms of play may include activities such as reading a book, gardening and sport.

Learning = the acquisition of knowledge or skills through formal study or being taught.

Play = activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation.

Acquisition = the improvement of an existing, or development of a new, area of knowledge or skill.

Participation = the engagement by oneself or with others in an activity that represents play or learning.


Final results

These results are represented in graphical form in the report.

Relationships

Quantity of bonds Quality of bonds

Increased quantity of bonds.

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quantity of bonds.

Reduced quantity of bonds.

Increased quality of bonds.

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quality of bonds.

Reduced quality of bonds.

2% 94% 4% 12% 52% 36%

Health and Wellbeing

Quantity of health and wellbeing activities Quality of health and wellbeing activities

Increased quantity of health and wellbeing activities.

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quantity of health and wellbeing activities.

Reduced quantity of health and wellbeing activities.

Increased quality of health and wellbeing activities.

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quality of health and wellbeing activities.

Reduced quality of health and wellbeing activities.

14% 70% 16% 13% 60% 27%

51Final results

Citizenship

Quantity of civic/community engagement Quality of civic/community engagement

Increased quantity of community contributions and/or connections.

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quantity of community contributions and/or connections.

Reduced quantity of community contributions and/or connections.

Increased quality of community contributions and/or connections.

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quality of community contributions and/or connections.

Reduced quality of community contributions and/or connections.

52% 47% 1% 32% 61% 7%

Play and Learning

Quantity of play/learning activities Quality of play/learning activities

Increased quantity of play and/or learning.

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quantity of play and/or learning.

Reduced quantity of play and/or learning.

Increased quality of play and/or learning.

Maintenance of pre-COVID-19 quality of play and/or learning.

Reduced quality of play and/or learning.

9% 80% 11% 10% 70% 20%

This Digital Home Report

Find out more at amf.org.au/this-digital-home

An

initiative supported by

Documents

Alannah Madeline Foundation This Digital Home Report